Means for feeding weld rod



July 26, 1960 H. (5. WHITE ETAL 2,946,430

MEANS FOR FEEDING WELD ROD Filed Jan. 31, 1958 WMW- ' INVENTORS HARRY G. WHITE 8 BY ENRICO M. ZAMPIERl ATTORNEYS United States Patent "ice MEANS FOR FEEDING WELD ROD H G. White Maywood and Enrico M. Zampieri, l amus, NJ assignors to Coast Metals, Inc., Little Ferry, NJ., a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 31, 1958, Ser. No. 712,382

2 Claims. (Cl. 203-210) This invention relates generally to means for feeding weld rod, but has reference more particularly to means of this character which embodies a pair of feed rolls.

A primary object of the invention is to provide feed rolls having means associated therewith which will assure proper alignment and coaction of the rolls with each other, whereby the weld rod fed by the rolls will be positively fed and displacement of the rod from the rolls during feeding will be prevented.

Another object of the invention is to provide feed rods of the character described having means other than the friction of the roll surfaces for aiding in the feeding of the weld rod.

A further object of the invention is to provide feed rolls of the character described, having means for insuring a positive drive of one roll by the other.

Other objects and advantages of our invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view illustrating the means for feeding weld rod, and

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral 1 designates a spur gear having a hub extension 2 to which a weld rod feed roll 3 is press-fitted.

The spur gear 1 is adapted to be keyed to a shaft 4, as by a key 5, whereby it is driven by therotation of such shaft.

The roll 3 is provided with an annular peripheral SH?" face 6, which is machined to provide a central annular peripheral groove 7 of semi-circular cross-section. Extending radially inwardly of the roll 3 from the surface of the groove 6, is a series of circumferentially-spaced holes 8, which serve a purpose to be presently described.

The roll 3 is provided with annular flanges 9 and 10 which are parallel with each other and are disposed at the sides of the surface 6 of the roll. The function of these flanges will be presently described.

The spur gear 1 is in driving engagement with a spur gear 11 which is mounted for rotation on an idler shaft 12.

The spur gear 11 is provided with a hub extension 13, to which a weld rod feed roll 14 is press-fitted.

The roll 14 is provided with an annular tongue .15, which is of a width substantially the same as the distance between thefaces of the flanges 9 and 10 of the roll 3, so that this tongue may extend into the space between such flanges, which flanges form a channel or groove for the tongue. The tongue 15 is provided with an annular peripheral surface 16, which is adapted to engage the surface 6 of the roll 3, when the roll 14 is driven by the roll 3.

The surface 16 of the roll 13 is also machined to provide a central annular peripheral groove 17 of semi-circular cross-section, and which coacts with the groove 7 2,946,430 Patented July 26, 1960 to form a roll pass of circular cross-section, which feeds the weld rod W. Extending radially inwardly of the roll 14 from the surface of the groove 17 is a series of circumferentially-spaced holes 18 similar to the holes 8 in the roll 3.

As stated above, the weld rod W is fed by the rolls 3 and 14. The flanges 9 and 10 embrace the tongue 15, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, so that the rolls, in effect, lock each other against the possibility of axial displacement, one from the other, thereby insuring against damage to the weld rod or displacement of the weld rod from its path of travel.

The edges of the holes 8 and 18 form gripping edges which engage the surface of the weld rod, thereby aiding in the positive feeding of the weld rod.

The use of intermeshed spur gears 1 and 1 1 insures a positive drive of one roll by the other and permits the maintenance of a predetermined angular relationship between the rolls wherein the holes 8 of one roll register with the holes 18 of the other roll. This registration avoids deformation of the Weld rod and consequent cracking of the weld rod coating by virtue of the fact that the rod is contacted by the lands between the holes 8 of one roll throughout only those portions of the rod that are backed up by the lands between the holes 18 of the other roll.

It is to be understood that the form of our invention, herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes may be made in the shape, size and arrangement of parts of our invention, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. Means for feeding a weld rod of predetermined diameter, said means comprising a pair of rotatable rolls, one of said rolls having an annular peripheral surface having an annular groove therein of substantially semicircular cross-section and having a radius substantially the same as the radius of the weld rod, annular flanges disposed at the sides of said annular surface and formed integrally with said roll, the other of said rolls having an annular tongue formed integrally therewith and provided with an annular peripheral surface in engagement with said first-named surface, said last-named annular surface having an annular groove therein of substantially semicircular cross-section, and having a radius substantially the same as the radius of the weld rod, said flanges embracing said tongue, both of said annular grooves being provided with circumferentially spaced holes of circular cross section, said holes extending radially inwardly from the central portions of the surfaces of said grooves and having circular edges adapted to engage said weld rod to assist in feeding the weld rod, means for maintaining said rolls in a predetermined angular relationship wherein saicll holes in one roll register with said holes in said other rol 2. The means for feeding a weld rod as defined in claim 1, wherein the means for maintaining said rolls in a predetermined angular relationship includes intermeshed spur gears.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 632,577 Latty et al Sept. 5, 1899 1,096,857 Pederguist May 19, 1914 1,865,069 Allen June 28, 1932 2,326,671 Patterson Aug. 10, 1943 2,454,405 Powell Nov. 23, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS 3,577 Great Britain Sept. 10, 1878 4,614 Great Britain Mar. 8, 1892 

